Carr Lane CEO Earl Walker Passes Away at 91

Earl E. Walker, CEO of Carr Lane Mfg. Co., passed away on August 26, 2011. Known for his philanthropic work with numerous schools and charities, as well as his active involvement with the SME Education Foundation and Scottish Rite, Earl Walker worked full time until just a week before his death at age 91.

 Earl Walker's company, Carr Lane Mfg. Co., is a leading manufacturer of clamps, pins, fixturing devices and other component parts used in metalworking. The parts are used by automotive, aerospace, appliance and woodworking manufacturers.

 "Carr Lane has many strengths as a company, including the great longevity of so many of its employees," said Judy Camp, Marketing Director. "We haven't skipped a beat since his death, and in fact, are coming out with many improvements, to project us even stronger into the future." The company held an open house on September 19 to show off its remodeled lobby, one of the first improvements. Plans for the future include green initiatives, improvements in plant productivity, and additional building updates. Carr Lane will be celebrating 60 years in business in 2012.

Earl Walker studied welding in technical school, then later worked for the company that became McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. There he identified the need for standardized parts, when all production would stop to make one or two pins. Earl and two friends began producing parts in a garage during nights and on weekends, with help from his wife, Myrtle.

The company eventually became Carr Lane Manufacturing Company, which is well known in practically every machine shop and factory, and has global distribution of more than 100,000 products.

 A special 8-page commemorative issue of Carr Lane's Courier newsletter on Earl Walker's life can be downloaded from here: